The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Road extension expected to spur economic growth

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Construction on the State Road 56 extension began in February and is expected to wrap up in late 2019.

When finished, the new four-lane segment will provide a 6-mile link between Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel.

The extension will be from Meadow Pointe Boulevard in Wiregrass Ranch to U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills.

A silt fence is installed as construction gets underway on a section of the new State Road 56 extension. The project will be completed in late 2019. (Courtesy of Florida Department of Transportation)

The road project also will add a 10-foot wide multi-use trail on the south side of State Road 56, a five-foot sidewalk on the north side, and seven-foot bicycle lanes going in each direction.

Traffic signals will be installed at Morris Bridge Road, at the new intersection with State Road 56, and at U.S. 301 where it connects with the new extension.

Major benefits are anticipated for traffic relief and economic development.

“Obviously, this will help relieve the traffic for people back and forth from Zephyrhills to Wesley Chapel, and vice versa,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore.

But, the east-west connection also should remove some traffic from State Road 54, which is clogged with traffic backups daily, he said.

The project has other impacts, too, Moore said, “It will be a huge economic boon to the area. The opportunities will open for more jobs.”

State Rep. Danny Burgess, a former mayor of Zephyrhills, agreed.

“This means everything,” he said.  “It helps in the revitalization of the area. That’s why, when I got to Tallahassee, I fought so hard for four lanes.”

Initial plans were to build a two-lane extension, with the possibility of adding another two lanes in future.

One beneficiary of the road extension will be the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport, which is undergoing significant upgrades. Approximately 440 acres next to the airport is being prepared for future marketing as site-ready for development.

A site evaluation and marketing study completed by Duke Energy in 2015 identified the location, which has a CXS rail line spur, as a prime site for aerospace manufacturing, light industrial and assembly companies, and the plastics industry.

Moore said the State Road 56 project will give the site direct links to Interstate 75 and Interstate 275, and make the site attractive to developers and businesses nationwide.

Florida Department of Transportation officials estimate the project’s cost at about $58 million. Another $8 million in interest is expected.

More than half the funding is from the state transportation department.

The county received nearly $23 million in a 30-year, low-interest loan from the State Infrastructure Bank. The bank provides loans and other assistance to public or private entities for projects that qualify for aid under federal and state law.

Developers for four residential projects along the route agreed to a repayment schedule through county-collected mobility surcharge fees.

As a backup, revenues from gasoline taxes and special assessments might be applied.

The city of Zephyrhills agreed to pay up to 10 percent of annual loan payments – about $1.3 million – to cover any costs not paid by developers.

State transportation officials suggested the state bank loan after residents lobbied during a town hall meeting to scrap the two-lane extension in favor of building four lanes.

Published November 29, 2017

Episcopal church branching into Wesley Chapel

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Picture, if you will, a church that does not yet have walls, or established ministries — but is rooted in an ancient tradition.

While it’s a blank canvas at the moment, a new Episcopal church in Wesley Chapel won’t remain that way forever — and beginning in January, meetings will be held to begin organizing the church’s first location in the community.

“We call it church planting. It’s like the sower (in the Bible) who sows the seeds; it’s planting,” said the Rev. Adrienne Hymes, whose official title is Diocesan Missioner for Church Extension.

Rev. Adrienne Hymes is leading an effort to establish a new Episcopal church in Wesley Chapel. (B.C. Manion)

She has assembled a core group of five people to begin one-on-one conversations with people in the community to find out more about Wesley Chapel’s needs.

The core group also will focus initially on the areas of theological and spiritual formation; discipleship, evangelism and mission.

Hymes expects to have a location by January and to begin holding monthly meetings.

“It will start out once a month on Wednesday nights, and then as we grow, we’ll be looking at Sundays,” she said.

The church currently is in talks for a possible location in a business park off of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

As more members join, a launch team will develop.

After that, it’s hard to predict how fast the move will be to a new location, how large the church will be, how many services and the exact shape of the ministries, Hymes said.

“With something like this, this really calls on us to lean heavily on the Holy Spirit movement — which can be a slow movement, or it can set on fire really quickly,” she said.

One thing is clear; the Episcopal church wants to be a presence in Wesley Chapel.

“Wesley Chapel is growing exponentially, and there are no signs of it stopping,” Hymes said.

The Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida has been wanting to establish a presence in the community for many years. The diocese has 77 churches.

The diocese perceives a need in Wesley Chapel, and funds from a three-year national grant are being used to help support the effort to establish a church in that community.

“We do know there are Episcopalians who have been waiting for a (local) church for a long time. If you grew up in the tradition, you want an Episcopal church,” she said. Other Episcopal churches are miles away — in New Tampa, Zephyrhills and New Port Richey.

As the effort gets underway for a new church in Wesley Chapel, Hymes noted: “It just turns out that God sends servants and God sends resources, so that we are really able to focus on establishing a presence out there at this time.”

She is looking for people who want to part of a ground-floor, grassroots effort.

“We’re looking for entrepreneurial types. We’re looking for people who are visionaries. People who can see things that aren’t there yet,” Hymes said. “We’re going to need people who vision and dream,” she added.

“Normally, when you walk into a church, you’re worshipping — things are there,” Hymes said.

Some people definitely prefer it that way, she said.

If, however, “you’re comfortable with not knowing everything and the details, those are the people that we need.

“It’s kingdom-building work,” she said, and she’s looking to attract people from all walks of life to play a role.

There may be architects and construction workers, business people and others, she said. Retired people, who have just wrapped up a long career, may want to get involved in beginning something new, she said.

“Maybe you’ve been a strategic planner your whole life,” she said. “You’re not done yet.

“Right now, we’re in this wonderful dance of the Holy Spirit, wondering what is going to happen next,” said Hymes, who is clearly excited by the prospect.

“How many people have a chance to get on the ground floor of a brand-new church that does not have a name yet?

“Every time we meet and every time a new person shows up, the DNA for this church is being created,” Hymes added.

For those who do not know much about the Episcopal church, Hymes offered a brief overview.

“Our history and our roots run deep. The Episcopal church’s roots are rooted in the church of England, which started in the 16th century. What we offer is an ever-ancient liturgy that people can tap into and hold onto,” she said.

“If you’re led to the doors of this church, we welcome you, and we invite you into the rich Anglican tradition,” she said.

At the same time, the church’s ministries adapt to meet the changing needs of the community it serves, she said.

Those helping to lay the groundwork for the church will be learning about the needs it is called to serve in Wesley Chapel area.

If you’d like to get involved or would like to know more, contact Hymes at (813) 418-1281 or by email at .

Published November 29, 2017

These pilots soar through the sky — on miniature wings

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Roger Niolet, of Sarasota, a 50-year veteran of flying radio-controlled model planes, works on his World War I replica Nieuport 28, before the 10th annual military flying exhibition at Bay City Flyer’s meet in Land O’ Lakes on Nov. 18. (Randy Underhill)

Radio-controlled model airplane pilots from throughout Florida had a nearly perfect day to fly their aircraft at the 10th annual Bay City Flyers Meet held at Area 52, eight miles north of Land O’ Lakes.

The meet, on Nov. 18, attracted 48 registered flyers and about 300 spectators. Admission was a $3 donation per carload. The landing fee for pilots was $10.

It was a sunny day, with no wind, as the model airplane pilots demonstrated their skills, and showed off their remote-controlled military aircraft and warbirds.

Bay City Flyers is a nonprofit radio-control flying club that has four events each year. It is chartered by the Academy of Model Aeronautics, the world’s largest sport aviation organization.

These pilots are serious about their hobby, which involves an investment of both time and money. Building the models requires painstaking detail work, and the models can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars up to $30,000.

Published November 29, 2017

Climbing upward into the blue sky on a beautiful morning is a 1916 British Sopwith World War I tri-plane. Henry Kuck, of New Port Richey, owns the plane, which took part in the event presented by the Bay City Flyers Club.
This silver quarter-scale World War II Wildcat fighter plane is one of the 48 registered model planes that took flight on Nov. 18 at the Bay City Flyers meet in Land O’ Lakes. Scot Prossen owns the plan, which has more than 608 flight hours on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holding their wooden model planes, Jackson Veit (left), age 8, and brother Nick Veit (middle), 14, along with their father Jerry Veit watch the flying activities on Nov. 18 at the Bay City Flyer’s meet. The trio joined Milo Veit, Jerry’s brother (far right), who is an eight-year member of the club.
A mixture of World War I and World War II planes are staged on the grassy preflight deck, as some of the pilots wait their turn to fly their machines for the 10th annual military aircraft showcase presented by the Bay City Flyers.

 

 

 

 

Holocaust scholar talks theology in Nazi Germany

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For historians studying the Holocaust, many questions still remain, including how Christian theologians grappled with their beliefs under National Socialism.

Dr. Victoria Barnett offered insight to that phenomenon, during a Nov. 9 speaking engagement at Saint Leo University.

Barnett is the director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Programs on Ethics, Religion, and the Holocaust.

Dr. Victoria Barnett, a scholar at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, spoke at Saint Leo University on Nov. 9. Her presentation centered on how Christian theologians gripped their beliefs under the Nazi regime. (Courtesy of Benjamin Watters, Saint Leo University)

Her local appearance was timed to observe the anniversary of Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass.”

On Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, 1938, a series of violent attacks against Jewish temples, businesses, property and individuals were launched in Germany and nearby occupied areas. The episode is considered to be the start of the Holocaust.

Barnett’s presentation centered on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a compelling figure who emerged at a young age as an influential Christian thinker, author, and an operative in a covert resistance movement against the Third Reich — including a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and about 30 other Nazi leaders. After resistance activities were discovered, the Nazis executed the 39-year-old Bonhoeffer in 1945, just days before the end of World War II.

Barnett, though, pushed back on Bonhoeffer’s legacy, suggesting the celebrated theologian actually endured a “slow movement towards certainty” in opposing the Third Reich.

More recent historiography yields a varying perspective of the theologian, she said.

Regarding Nazi resistance in the early 1930s, Barnett described Bonhoeffer as “sometimes doubtful about what he was doing.”

This uncertainly, Barnett explained, was exemplified in 1933 when Bonhoeffer initially refused to perform a funeral procession for his twin sister’s husband, who was Jewish.

“One of the interesting things in his personal papers and his letters is how often he talks about how much trouble he has making a decision, how doubtful he is that something’s the right thing to do,” Barnett said.

“It’s a very human moment where you see that kind of uncertainty under pressure of not knowing what to do,” she said.

Dr. Victoria Barnett’s presentation centered on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a compelling figure who emerged at a young age as an influential Christian thinker, author, and an operative in a covert resistance movement against the Third Reich. (Courtesy of United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)

Barnett, too, argued there’s little evidence to suggest Bonhoeffer’s involvement in the resistance “was motivated purely out of his concern for the persecution of the Jews.”

One of his primary motives, instead, may have been related to the church — such as converting and baptizing people of Jewish descent.

“One of the big questions for historians,” the scholar said, “is understanding how the church treated such people who were baptized very differently from members of the Jewish community or secular Jews.

“…The Confessing Church was very often willing to speak out for people who were in the church who were baptized Christians and now affected by the racial laws, but refused to do so when it came to the Jewish community itself or the secularized Jews,” she said.

Barnett referenced Bonhoeffer’s 1933 essay, “The Church and the Jewish Question,” where he addressed the new problems the church faced under the Nazi dictatorship.

Despite the essay’s “brilliant Lutheran deconstruction of why the Nazi state is not a legitimate form of leadership,” it also includes what Barnett defined as “one of the most anti-Jewish paragraphs that you can find in the literature of that era.”

Barnett explained: “You have the deicide charge—the so-called Christ-killer charge, you have supersessionism — the argument that the Jews are suffering because they still need to convert. It’s an incredibly offensive paragraph and — in the shadow of the Holocaust — one can’t read it without really cringing and thinking, ‘What is that doing in this essay?’”

Barnett also argued that Bonhoeffer’s role in the assassination attempt of Hitler in July 1944 has been exaggerated.

“The mythology about Bonhoeffer…kind of has him laying the bomb or pulling the trigger or being the one who was going to assassinate Hitler. That’s simply not the case. He’s brought in, and he’s simply one of about 6,000 people, somewhere in this broader network of conspiracy circles,” Barnett said.

“His role is central in that he’s related to several figures by family who were very central in the conspiracy, so he knows what’s going on,” she added.

New revelations aside, Barnett acknowledged Bonhoeffer as “a person of real decency, real integrity” and “an extraordinary individual who died much too young.”

She added: “Life, especially in dictatorships like that, can get complicated, very quickly, and I think realizing that is very important when we study this era.”

The tale of Bonhoeffer, meanwhile, leads to the broader issue of the church structure during the Nazi regime.

Barnett explained the portrayal of the Confessing Church — a movement within German Protestantism during Nazi Germany that arose in opposition to government-sponsored efforts to unify all Protestant churches into a single pro-Nazi Protestant Reich Church — is “more complicated than people had initially thought.”

While Protestant and Catholic churches in 1945 were the two German institutions the allied military trusted in denazification proceedings, Barnett said history shows many in both churches enabled the Nazi regime.

Said Barnett: “There were indeed figures both in the Protestant and Catholic churches, like Bonhoeffer, who did stand up briefly, who did oppose National Socialism, who fought back against them, but, there were very, very many people in both churches who went along with it. Some of them became Nazi party members. Some of them actually betrayed colleagues. Some of them defended National Socialism.”

She also noted German churches and monasteries employed thousands of forced laborers during the Third Reich, raising additional questions of moral ambiguity, complicity and guilt.

The paradox illustrates how Nazism fully pervaded German society by the early 1940s, Barnett said.

“You could not get away from what was happening,” Barnett said. “It was so thoroughly permeated in German society that was no way for anyone to step outside of it.”

Barnett’s presentation was organized by the university’s Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies (CCJS).

Published November 29, 2017

Heritage Stage is becoming a community gathering place

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Long before Heritage Stage existed, Sandy Graves envisioned a place where the community would gather, to watch performances and spend time together.

The stage was completed this fall and Graves’ vision has begun to take shape.

Recently, the stage was the centerpiece for an event to honor area veterans.

Live musical entertainment always plays a big role in the annual ‘Traditions on the Green’ event. This year, for the first time, the entertainers will have a stage for their performances at the event, set for Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (File)

Shortly after that, entertainers used it for performances during Land O’ Lakes SwampFest.

Next, the Land O’ Lakes High School Band, the Pine View Middle School Band, the Pine View Middle School Dance Team and the Lake Myrtle Elementary School Choir will provide a holiday concert during Traditions on the Green.

The free event, being held at the recently renamed Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., also will feature a visit from Santa, a tree lighting and a raffle on gift baskets, to raise money for the schools.

“We’ll have cookies and warm apple cider, until it runs out,” Graves said.

The event is set for Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and snacks, to the evening of performances presented by the Heritage Park Foundation and the Wesley Noon Rotary Land O’ Lakes Satellite club.

Another event is planned for the afternoon of Dec. 10, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The event will include a food truck, a bounce house, a visit from Santa and, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Florida Orchestra Brass Quintet will perform “Holiday Pops” on the Heritage Park Stage.

Again, spectators are advised to bring a blanket or lawn chair, to sit back and enjoy some music presented by Heritage Park, Classical Preparatory School and several other sponsors.

Another event — the Land O’ Lakes Arts & Crafts & Seafood Festival, featuring The Battle of the Bands — is planned at the venue on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Featured bands will be Priest, Rat Salad and Soul Circus Cowboys. And, there will be food, shopping and kids’ activities, as well.

The event is family and pet friendly, and proceeds will benefit Pasco County Animal Services.

Graves is delighted to see the stage being put to good use.  “We’re so excited,” she said.

Traditions on The Green
Where: The recently renamed Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Dec. 2, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free
Details: The even features performances by local schools and a visit from Santa. Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Published November 22, 2017

It’s that time again for the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show

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Christmas at the Old Lutz School is coming up, too

Preparations are underway for the 38th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show, which is being held for the second year on the campus of Keystone Prep High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa.

“We’re going to have over 300 vendors. And, there’s a larger expanded food court,” said Faith Sincich, co-chair of the event.

She marvels at the transformation that takes place at the festival grounds, each year.

Zoe Deimling, 4, of Odessa, just can’t stop looking at the art on her face after having it painted at the Lutz Arts & Crafts Show. Deimling was along with her grandmother, Denise Alliston of Odessa, and her great-grandmother, Susan Corcoran of Lutz. (File)

“You go out on Friday morning and you see a field, an empty field, and by Saturday morning you see a little village of tents set up. It’s really incredible to see,” Sincich said.

As usual, there will be a great number of returning vendors, Sincich said. But, she noted, “we have some new vendors with some new crafts.”

The two-day event is always a hit with families because of its festive holiday atmosphere and its unique shopping opportunities. Shoppers can peruse booths featuring handcrafted jewelry, original artwork, photography, woodcrafts and metal work, and plants and yard art, to name just a few.

It is the primary annual fundraiser for the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club.

Proceeds from the event benefit “hundreds, and I mean literally hundreds of charities and nonprofits that we support,” Sincich said.

The venue changed last year, from Lake Park to Keystone Prep.

That didn’t seem to hurt attendance, Sincich said. “We thought that the attendance was about the same.”

Even so, organizers believe that attendance could increase this year.

“This year, now that more people are familiar with the new location, we expect more people,” Sincich said. The new venue is also conveniently located for people from Pinellas County who want to check it out, she noted.

There’s ample parking.

“There’s a lot more room for public parking at this facility than there was at the old Lake Park,” Sincich said.

This year, the event is on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is free, but there is a $5 charge for parking collected by the school, which receives the proceeds.

While the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club gears up for its giant arts and crafts show, the Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building is preparing for its annual Christmas celebration at the school, 18819 U.S. 41 N., in Lutz.

“Two of the rooms will be set up with trains and displays around trains,” said Stephanie Ensor, one of the event organizers. “The museum will be open.

“We have a tree room, where some different organizations will be bringing a tree to represent their organization.

“They have nutcrackers on display, throughout the building.

“The hallway is decorated by Steinbrenner (High School) student ambassadors,” Ensor added.

There will be entertainment on select evenings, and more entertainers are welcome to sign up.

There is no admission for the evenings at the schoolhouse, Ensor said, but “there will be a barrel to collect nonperishable food items and unwrapped toys for those less fortunate.”

The breakfast with Santa event costs $4.

The event is meant to serve as “a thank-you to the community for its continued support,” Ensor said.

It’s a great way for people to reconnect with people they haven’t seen in awhile, Ensor said.

“My daughters are 18 and 20 now.

“When I’m up there, I’m always running into someone I knew 15 years ago, when the kids were in kindergarten,” she said.

She enjoys the annual tradition at the schoolhouse.

“It’s really neat. It’s one of our little small-town things that we treasure,” Ensor said.

38th annual Lutz Arts & Crafts Show
Where: Keystone Prep High School, 18105 Gunn Highway in Odessa
When: Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free; parking is $5 per car, with proceeds benefiting the school
Details: More than 300 vendors are expected at the event, which is a popular draw for families because of its holiday atmosphere and its unique shopping opportunities. It also is a juried show, giving artists a chance to win cash prizes.
Info: Call (813) 833-3962

 

21st annual Christmas at the Old Lutz School
Where:  18819 U.S. 41 N.
When: The evenings of Dec. 7, Dec. 9, Dec. 12, Dec. 14, Dec. 16, Dec. 19, Dec. 21, Dec. 22 and Dec. 26, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: There is no admission, but collection boxes will be there to accept donations of nonperishable food and new, unwrapped toys, for those who are less fortunate.
Details: The school will be open for your viewing pleasure, with entertainment on select nights.

What: Breakfast with Santa at the Old Lutz School
When: Dec. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Cost: $4, which includes a doughnut, juice and craft
Details: Santa will be there, so families can bring their cameras to take a photo with them. Additional menu items will be available for purchase.
Info: Email  

Published November 22, 2017

Residents help identify flood risk areas in Pasco

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The Southwest Florida Water Management District is updating computer-model maps that identify flood prone areas within Pasco County.

Residents at several community meetings have provided public input to the process by sharing first-hand where flooding happens, and also where it doesn’t.

This chart explains how the watershed management program works. (Kathy Steele)

On Nov. 16, residents within the Duck Lake watershed got their turn to study existing maps and meet with representatives of the water management agency, known as Swiftmud.

About 1,500 letters were mailed to area residents in unincorporated areas of Pasco, in and around Dade City and San Antonio. About 100 people attended the event at Pasco County High School, off State Road 52 in Dade City.

“We’re trying to gather as much data as we can to know we’re getting good results,” said Scott Letasi, engineering and watershed management manager for Swiftmud. “This is the last opportunity for the public to give us any additional feedback on how well we did in coming up with flood elevations.”

Residents came in to study the maps, pinpointing their homes as either inside or outside areas prone to flooding. Some brought photographs of flooding in their neighborhoods; others talked about their experiences with heavy rainfalls or hurricanes. And, some wanted to know how new development projects might increase flood risks.

Local governments will be able to use the finalized maps to aid in land use and zoning decisions. The information also aids in making development decisions in areas in and around floodplains and wetlands. And, the exercise identifies areas where stormwater projects are needed.

Residents living within the Duck Lake watershed came to an open house to help identify flood prone areas in Pasco County. The information aids the Southwest Florida Water Management District in updating computer-generated maps.

Residents can use the data and maps to decide on land purchases.

Leslie Rookey did that when she bought nearly 20 years ago. She settled on a house on Howard Avenue, outside Dade City, that hadn’t seen flooding in decades.

It’s been high and dry since, though waters did wash over Howard during Hurricane Irma.

Rookey keeps up with the data, and recalled maps she saw 10 years ago. Her house remains outside the flood plain.

“It’s moved ever so slightly,” she said. “But, the (map boundaries) are not off from what we saw 10 years ago.”

That was good news to Swiftmud representatives who hoped residents could validate the computer-generated maps.

Based on new data gathered from residents at the series of open houses, the flood plain boundaries could be adjusted. In some cases, Swiftmud will do further field investigations based on residents’ reports, and photographs.

Once public comments are reviewed, maps will be finalized and presented to the water district’s governing board for approval.

The information isn’t currently being incorporated into the Federal Emergency Management Agency Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps. That could happen, however, at a later date.

Published November 22, 2017

Interim steps planned to improve 54/41 traffic flow

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Construction on a project to improve traffic flow through the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 is expected to begin in 2018, according to Florida Department of Transportation officials.

The project, which will lengthen some turn lanes, currently is in design. The construction cost is about $752,000 and is included in the transportation department’s fiscal year 2019 budget, according to the department’s spokeswoman, Kris Carson.

State highway officials plan to lengthen some turn lanes to improve traffic flow for about 100,000 vehicles a day that move through State Road 54 and U.S. 41. (Kathy Steele)

Changes will focus on the west side of the intersection by lengthening the eastbound right- and left-turn lanes on State Road 54. To accomplish this, the median on State Road 54 at Hunt Road will be altered to allow only right turns from Hunt onto State Road 54.

Pasco County officials estimate design costs to be about $300,000.

The turn-lane changes are considered an interim solution to the traffic congestion at this intersection.

A permanent solution – and a major reconstruction – is the current focus of a study by a local task force that will make a recommendation to the county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Those efforts began in 2015, and are expected to extend into 2018.

The entire study includes the State 54/56 corridor, from Bruce B. Downs Boulevard on the east to U.S. 19 on the west. Currently, the focus is on two intersections: Little Road and State Road 54 in New Port Richey, and U.S. 41 and State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

The Land O’ Lakes intersection is receiving most of the attention as one of the county’s busiest intersections. There also is available funding, which the New Port Richey intersection lacks.

Some options for State Road 54 and U.S. 41 include elevated lanes, as well as redesigns at ground level. Dedicated lanes for buses and express toll lanes also are being considered.

The 17-member task force is working with the MPO as well as Pasco County Planning and Development, FDOT and consultants.

Published November 22, 2017

Garden yields lessons on math, science, conservation

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Children at Hammond Elementary School are learning all about water conservation, and honing their mathematics and science skills, too, in a class that uses a hydroponics garden to help bring the lessons home.

Children in Bonnie Cothern and Tina Miller’s classes at Hammond Elementary are learning about the advantages of hydroponics gardening. (B.C. Manion)

The school, at 8008 N. Mobley Road in Odessa, used a Splash! grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to cover the costs of creating the hydroponics garden. The grant also includes several other elements relating to water conservation.

Teachers Tina Miller and Bonnie Cothern said that Urban Roots, of 11780 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa, have also helped in the program by demonstrating how to put together the plant towers and letting students help, as well as allowing them to plant vegetables and herbs.

Students in Cothern’s gifted education classes are working with Miller’s fifth-graders to help educate the entire school about hydroponics and water conservation.

This tower of plants contains rosemary, oregano, basic, chocolate mint, French sorrel lettuce and parsley.

They’ll be reporting conservation tips monthly on the school’s morning show, and will be making posters to raise awareness to the rest of the school and members of the community about the importance of water conservation.

Lessons also will include the importance of choosing Florida-friendly garden plants that are adapted to the state’s climate to prevent unnecessary water use.

On a recent day, Cothern and Miller were out in the garden with some of their students.

The children talked about some advantages of hydroponics gardening.

Third-grader Lyla Cullimore explained how the plant tower system works.

“The reservoir is right here,” she said. “When you turn it on, the water goes through a pipe and it goes up, then the water goes down and it makes it so the plants get water.”

Teacher Tina Miller checks on plants in a hydroponics garden at Hammond Elementary School.

The pump runs twice a day, for 15 minutes each time, the teachers said, via email, in a more detailed explanation of hydroponics.

The water drips from the top plant container, through the plant medium, which is composed of shredded coconut shell and perlite. Then, water in that planter drips to the one below, the teachers said.

Fifth-grader Ryan Dumont noted the water “can drip down through the angles of the planters, then, once it drops down, there’s holes in the planters and it drips down into the reservoir, and we can reuse it.”

The drip system, combined with a porous medium, conserves water and provides oxygenation to the root system of the plants. The water in the reservoir lasts 10 days to 14 days, the teachers said. The system is efficient because no water is wasted through runoff and evaporation.

Miller asked students, what does organic mean?

Carlie Restrepo is eager to offer an answer during a discussion about hydroponics at Hammond Elementary School’s hydroponics garden.

Fifth-grader Ethan Bezaury responded: “Organic means that it’s not manmade.”

Miller then talked about the liquid fertilizer that provides nutrients to the plants.

By growing the plants in pots, arranged on a tower, more plants can be grown in a smaller area, she said.

“How many plants are in that little bit of a space?” Miller asked.

“There’s about 20,” answered third-grader Evan Rottenberger.

That’s correct, Miller said, adding that students have been able to integrate math and science into what they are learning about hydroponics.

Students have been taking measurements of the plants and charting their observations in notebooks.

Lyla Cullimore talks about how a hydroponics plant system works.

“When you guys were doing your data recording yesterday, what did you find about the different plants that you had taken your baseline data on?” Miller asked.

Fifth-grader Sophia Wyant responded: “They were growing more and more each time.”

The teacher explained: “We’ve been doing some long-term investigations because one of the claims of hydroponics is that the yield is greater.”

It’s too early to tell if that is true, but fifth-grader Angela Rosario has noticed that a plant she’s been observing has achieved noticeable growth.

The first time they observed the garden was on Oct. 27.

“It was 10 centimeters, my longest leaf. I had seven leaves. The smallest leaf was 3 cm, and the height was 17 cm. After 10 days, my height was 21 cm, I had eight leaves. My smallest was 6; the longest was 11,” Rosario said.

She said hydroponics helps conserve water and reduces problems from weeds.

Cothern’s students began their observations a week after Millers’ students.

She said she gave her students the freedom to choose how they wanted to observe their plant.

“I told them they could take whatever data they wanted to. They could measure the whole plant. They could measure the biggest leaf, the smallest leaf, whatever they decided to do,” she said.

The teachers are pleased that the children are learning about water conservation and are excited about the students sharing what they have learned with the entire school community, as well as with their families at home.

Published November 22, 2017

Giving thanks, for life’s big and little blessings

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Whether it’s for the expected arrival of a first grandchild, the ability to be a stay-at-home mom, landing a new job, or savoring the sheer blessing of being alive to celebrate the holiday — people across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have many reasons to celebrate this Thanksgiving.

Those of us working at the newspaper, join them, in celebrating the holiday of gratitude and express our appreciation to you, our readers.

(Photos by B.C. Manion)

“I am so blessed with family and a husband that survived a stroke and club members (GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club) and church (First United Methodist Church of Lutz), said Edwina Kraemer, of Lutz.

For Thanksgiving, she said, “We are having an organic turkey. And, my son and daughter-in-law and my beautiful granddaughter and some friends of ours are all coming over, and we’re going to try to eat healthy.”

 

 

 

 

Isabel Wirth, who has been volunteering at Daystar Hope Center Thrift Shop in Dade City for 19 years, said “I’m thankful that we can do as much for the people here, and I’m thankful for good health.”

The Dade City woman plans to travel to Mount Dora to her niece’s house for Thanksgiving.

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m thankful for the nice weather. I’m so glad it’s finally cooled down,” said Lois Cohen, of Land O’ Lakes.

But, that’s not all she’s grateful for.

I’m thankful for all of the friends that I have in the Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club,” she added.

For the holiday, Cohen said, “We’re having my family over for Thanksgiving. My husband is doing a whole menu,” she said, including German potato casserole and cranberry trifle.

 

Matt Badillo, of Wesley Chapel, is thankful for a new employment opportunity. “I just got offered a job at the VA. It was a bit of a long process, but it’s finally rolling through. It’s really good. I’ll be a nursing assistant there.”

But, he’s also grateful to be celebrating the holiday with his family.

“I just recently came back from living in Australia for three years. I came back in April,” he said, noting he’s looking forward to turkey and cranberry sauce, and for another favorite, too.

“My grandma makes this corn casserole that I’ve been waiting for, for awhile.”

 

Pat Wright, the circulation supervisor at Hugh Embry Branch Library in Dade City, said: “I’m thankful for the whole staff that I work with here at Hugh Embry.”

The Webster woman said she’s also grateful for family and friends, and planned to be making a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with all of the trimmings, for her family.

 

Rita Noble, an avowed book lover, has been working at Hugh Embry Branch Library for 17 years. She said she’s grateful for her family and friends, and is excited by the prospect of her first grandchild who is due this spring. Noble said she’ll be making a “Thanksgiving dinner “with all of the fixins’.”

 

 

 

Sister Jean Abbott, who oversees the Daystar Hope Center Thrift Shop in Dade City, said “I am thankful for the generosity of the people who donate their time and their money and their items, or their food and household stuff to us.

“It keeps our doors open. It keeps us able to assist people who are needy, and I’m especially thankful for the volunteers who do all of the work of processing that stuff that comes in, and making sure it’s in useful shape to go to the people who need it,” she said.

She plans to spend Thanksgiving at Saint Anthony Parish Hall, helping to serve others and enjoying her holiday meal.

It will be her second Thanksgiving dinner, which makes it hard to follow her primary doctor’s advice to watch her carbohydrates, she said.

 

Stephanie Critser and her 3-year-old son, Joshua, were enjoying a beautiful day at Zephyr Park recently — which offers an example of why the Zephyrhills woman is grateful this Thanksgiving. “I am very thankful that I am able to stay at home with him. I’m able to spend a lot of quality time with him. I haven’t always been able to do that, so this year, I am very thankful for that,” she said.

The family will be celebrating Thanksgiving with her in-laws, she said. “My husband (Daniel) is making his mashed potatoes.”

 

Suzanne Jasinski, of Land O’ Lakes, is grateful to be able to celebrate another Thanksgiving with her family.

“A couple of years ago, I was shivering, I thought I was cold. I kept putting blanket after blanket after blanket. My son said, ‘No, you’re going to the hospital,’” she recalled.

She didn’t want to go, but she went.

“It turned out to be septic. My kidneys were shutting down. I was in a coma for 3 ½ weeks,” she said. She was on dialysis, too.

“They took me off dialysis because my kidneys started working,” she said. Her doctor called her “his little miracle.”

Jasinski lives with her son, James, and her daughter-in-law, Michelle, and they expect about 20 people to celebrate Thanksgiving with them.

They’ll be enjoying a feast, including turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, yams — “the whole nine yards,” Jasinski said.

And, that includes dressing.

“Her oyster dressing is the best,” said Kimberly Lucas, Jasinski’s daughter, who was with her and Jasinski’s granddaughter, Ashley Lucas, at The Shops at Wiregrass.

Published November 22, 2017